Bachelet tells business leaders not to be alarmed

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SANTIAGO.- Following a meeting with the United Workers' Center (CUT) today, President Michelle Bachelet called on business leaders to act sensibly, not to become alarmed and to take measures to protect employment in the face of the international economic crisis.

"I want to issue a special call for business leaders to act sensibly, with social responsibility, not to fall into a sense of alarm that is counter-productive, to protect jobs and their employees", stated Bachelet.

While accompanied by the president of the CUT, Arturo Martínez, as well as the ministers of Finance and Labor, the President also put forth a message of calm to citizens, insisting that her administration will encourage all of the dialogue necessary to confront this complex scenario in the best possible fashion.

Bachelet stated that she had decided to meet with workers to hear their concerns and to guarantee that they will not be the ones to pay the costs for a crisis that originated because of the "greed of speculators".

The President also indicated that it would be necessary to activate the unemployment contingency fund.